South Gallia falls to Wildcats, 13-2

South Gallia catcher Joey Woodall, left, watches a play at first base as Hannan’s Isaiah Burgess crosses home plate during the fourth inning of Tuesday night’s non-conference baseball contest in Mercerville, Ohio.

Bryan Walters/OVP Sports

MERCERVILLE, Ohio — A memorable night for the Wildcats.

The Hannan baseball team picked up its first road win of the 2016 campaign while also earning the program’s first-ever victory over host South Gallia Tuesday night following a 13-2 victory in six innings of a non-conference matchup in Gallia County.

The Wildcats (3-6) never trailed in the contest as the guests broke away from an early one-all tie by plating three runs in the top of the third for a 4-1 edge, but the Rebels (0-12) countered with a run in the home half that frame for a 4-2 game through three complete.

HHS, however, came up with nine unanswered runs over the next three innings for an 11-run edge, then retired the Red and Gold in order in the bottom of the sixth to complete the mercy-rule triumph.

The Wildcats outhit the Rebels by a sizable 14-6 overall margin and neither squad committed an error in the contest. The Blue and Gold stranded 10 runners on base, while the hosts left four on the bags.

Gerlach allowed only two earned runs, six hits and zero walks over six innings of work. Gerlach also struck out a dozen in the winning decision.

Hannan took an early lead in the top of the first as Isaiah Burgess lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield, allowing Dalton Coleman to tag up and score from third for a 1-0 edge.

SGHS tied the game in the home half of the first as Cuyler Mills doubled home Colton Coughenour for a one-all contest after one full frame. The hosts, however, were never closer the rest of the way.

After a scoreless second, the Wildcats came up big in the top of the third as Gerlach and Burgess led things off with back-to-back singles. Corey Hudnall followed with a doubled that plated Gerlach, giving the guests a permanent lead at 2-1.

Nick Hughes laid down a sacrifice bunt that allowed Burgess to score for a 3-1 contest, then Hudnall came plateward after a two-out single by Matt Qualls made it a 4-1 game.

The Rebels, however, cut their deficit in half as Coughenour delivered a one-out triple and later scored on a two-out single by Mills, making it a 4-2 contest through three complete.

The Wildcats added two runs in the fourth for a 6-2 advantage, then tacked on three runs in the fifth and four runs in the sixth to wrap up the 11-run triumph.

Gerlach led Hannan with four hits, followed by Coleman, Poore and Burgess with two safeties apiece. Hudnall, Hughes, Qualls and Junior Morehart also had a hit each in the triumph.

Poore led HHS with three RBIs and Hudnall drove in two RBIs. Gerlach, Burgess, Hughes and Qualls also knocked in a run apiece.

Coleman scored a team-best three runs, while Gerlach and Burgess each crossed home plate twice. Poore, Hudnall, Morehart, Hughes, Qualls and Ryan Davis also scored a run apiece for the victors.

Coughenour paced the hosts with three hits and two runs scored, followed by Mills with two safeties and two RBIs. Austin Stapleton also had a hit in the setback.

Bryan Walters can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2101.

South Gallia catcher Joey Woodall, left, watches a play at first base as Hannan’s Isaiah Burgess crosses home plate during the fourth inning of Tuesday night’s non-conference baseball contest in Mercerville, Ohio.